We left Ravello on Monday morning and were driven across the mountains to Puglia and our hotel Masseria San Domenico. It was a three hour drive through grape, olive and wheat area. It was 93 degrees outside and was beautiful. Our driver had trouble finding the hotel – stopping in the middle of the road to check his map with lights flashing. He also drove between 95 and 100 mph on the autostrada so we kept and eye open the…
Sunday >May 25, 2008. We went to Mass this morning at the church in the square. It was 1st communion day and the steps were full of parents. Women dressed up and men in suits. Boys with a white monk robe and girls in white dresses. Each girl was given a large Easter Lilly. The priest gave the children a talk (too long) at the top of the stairs and led the children inside where the sat on each side…
The sun is out. The weather very warm and the view from the Hotel Caruso spectacular. Today is Saturday May 24th. We arrived by way of Seattle to London, short lay over and on to Rome.After a night at La Posta Vecchica on from Rome by car for a three plus hour drive to this hotel. The route across the mountains made Amalfi drive easy. Like Whatcom County's Chucknut a straight road. High up into the mountains along a windy road….
Senator Joe Liberman, who bills himself as an "independent democrat" has written an Op Ed in the May 21st Wall Street Journal titled "Democrats and our enemies." He tries to justify the fact that he is a traitor to the democratic party and explain his support for the Republican John McCain.The fact he is willing to write in the this publication for capitalist's attacking Barack Obama while supporting Senator McCain confirms once again that he is not "Independent Democratic" at all. He is…
Susan Schell of the Peninsula Gateway has written a front page article about purse seine fishing and Gig Harbor. Her article Fishing for Harbor Heritage is well written. The photo below is of John Stanich who owned the fishing boat Welcome and who lived in Gig Harbor. Below that is a smaller shot of the Welcome on her way to the fishing grounds in Alaska. The article and photos had particular significance to me because I fished on the crew…
John Edwards has decided to endorse Obama. Edwards collected a large percentage of votes in West Virginia in the Clinton-Obama race when he wasn’t even in the running. John Edwards has been the candidate Lita and I have supported in two attempts at the White house. A long time friend of ours, John also is an extraordinary competent and bright person. I can’t think of a better combination than Obama and Edwards for the White house this year.
I may not be able to maintain this blog for the next couple of weeks because my wife Lita and I are leaving for Europe. I don’t know whether I’ll find internet cafes or the time to report on our travel, so, be patient. We fly from Seattle to London/Heathrow where we connect by plane for Italy. This will be a test of Heathrow’s new terminal 5 where, after spending millions on a new terminal and baggage system, over 15,000…
Politics and religion. Those are the two subjects we were told we should avoid in talking with others if we want to be socially acceptable. Yet, politics has come to play such a significant part of our lives that it is hard not to talk about it, especially in a presidential election year. Much of the political disputes involves differing views as to the reason for and role of government. Take the conservatives and in particular Grover Norquist. Norquist, who…
The Huffington Blog has a posting about John McCain and his changed character since running for the presidency. I have complained about the change in John McCain myself. (See 2/6/07 "Senator John McCain and Lack of Character) I had regarded the Senator as a maverick straight shooter and admired his character until he began to lust over the white house. As Huffington points out: "The fact that this man was so angry at what George Bush had done to him,…
There is a connection between Daniel Ellsberg of Watergate fame and Dorothy Day founder of the Catholic Worker. Daniel Ellsberg was famous in 1971 for his role regarding "the Pentagon Papers." Ellsberg was a military analyst employed by the Rand Corporation as a Vietnam expert. During that year Defense Secretary McNamara commissioned the company to analyze information about the Vietnam war. When Ellsberg began reviewing the papers he discovered that, contrary to government statements, the war was not likely ever…
